Long-haul flights not only throw your sleep schedule off-track, but also increase the risk of developing fatal blood clots in your legs, a new study confirms. Previous research had also pointed a finger at long flights where travelers have to sit in a single position for hours together.
The study confirms that the risk of venous thromboembolism (VTE) or blood clots in the legs is high in such travelers. Researchers at the Harvard School of Public Health in Boston led by Dr Divay Chandra analyzed 14 previous studies on the subject involving 4,055 cases blood clots or VTE.
All patients had used different modes of travel and for comparison purposes all studies had control groups. The latter included patients who were referred to doctors as having potential symptoms of VTE, but were not found to have developed blood clots in their legs. In some studies, the control groups included healthy subjects.
Travelers were found to have a three-fold higher risk of blood clots than non-travelers, the researchers reported after analyzing studies that contained healthy subjects in the control group.
“What is key is if you’re traveling and you begin to feel unwell when you arrive, or even over the following week or two, and you have some symptoms for deep vein thrombosis (DVT) or venous thromboembolism (VTE) is to go get evaluated right away,” said study co-author Dr. Dariush Mozaffarian.
The study also found that the risk of developing blood clots increased by 18% for every two hours of any mode of travel and by 26% every two hours of air travel.
Deep vein thrombosis or DVT is a blood clot that forms in the deep veins of the body and is usually localized to the legs. According to the National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute this clot can break up and travel through the bloodstream to the lungs. In such a scenario it causes a potentially fatal condition called pulmonary embolism.
Some signs of DVT or VTE include
* Increased warmth in the area of swelling on the leg
* Red or discolored skin on the leg
* Pain in the leg when you try to stand up and walk after a long time
* Swelling of the leg or along a vein in the leg
If the clot has broken up and traveled to the ling, you may experience pain with deep breathing and unexplained shortness of breath. Furthermore you may even cough up blood.
Travel tips to prevent DVT
* Move your legs and flex and stretch your feet to encourage blood flow
* Drink plenty of fluids
* Shun alcohol
* Walk up and down the aisles of the bus, train, or airplane every hour
Experts think that sitting for hours together in cramped spaces and dehydration triggers these blood clots. As the above study suggests, long-distance travel is a big risk factor. If you experience any of these symptoms following a long flight, contact your doctor immediately. It may actually end up saving your life.
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